We’re a long way from the days when an SUV was a humble workhorse, and the 2024 Defender roams even further from its rough’n’tumble roots. Rebooted at the transition point between off-road prowess and country lifestyle chic, the new Defender is arguably two vehicles in one — and priced, you could argue, like two vehicles, as well.
While Land Rover remains the parent brand, in recent years the automaker has worked to better distinguish its range. Defender is now a standalone sub-brand, as is Range Rover and Discovery. Of the current Defender line-up, there are three models primarily distinguished by length and number of doors. The smallest– and, from $56,400 plus $1,475 destination, the most affordable — is the three-door Defender 90. The Defender 110 (from $60,600 plus destination) has five doors, and is arguably the mainstay of the range.
Then there’s this, the Defender 130 (from $69,100 plus destination) first unveiled in mid-2022. It keeps the five doors, but stretches the rear behind the C-pillar. That provides space for a third row, potentially turning the SUV into an eight-seater. However, just to make things a little more confusing, not every Defender 130 will seat that many. This particular Outbound trim, for example, seats five, just like the Defender 110 and 90.
The broad array of configurations — a strategy shared with the Range Rover, for that matter — continues when it comes to powertrain and price tag. A base Defender 130 uses the 3.0-liter P300 inline-six gas mild-hybrid engine, with 296 horsepower. Step up to the Defender S (from $77,100 plus destination) and the P400 version of that engine is tuned for 395 horsepower. That trims the 0-60 mph time from 7.5 seconds to 6.3 seconds.
